Birgit Nilsson Talks to Bernard Levin (1972)

From BBC series '2 (1965-1973)'
Episode aired 20 December 1972
Musical Selection
00:00 Tosca: Vissi d'arte
20:22 Tristan und Isolde: Mild und leise
33:48 La Forza del Destino: Son giunta... Madre, pietosa vergine
56:22 Salome: Ah! Du wolltest mich nicht... Sie ist ein Ungeheuer... Ah! Ich habe
Follow my Instagram page dedicated to Dame Joan Sutherland and Birgit Nilsson :)
INSTAGRAM: / viniciussoaris

[@Ursaminor31]

Honestly when the voice and proper posture take precedent over acting you know is stellar. The way it should be instead of. Beauty contest with vapid singing, this is real. She is marvellous.

[@adobermann]

to this day...nobody can match her !!

[@armandobona6487]

Thank you Vini. This is new to me. Birgit is so beautiful as a singer, as a person, as the great aritst of her generation. I was so fortunate to have been alive to hear her sing, and many times.

[@angelaknebel4156]

So wonderful to watch!!!! Love Birgit, both that collosal powerhouse voice and her lovely friendly down to earth personality!!! 💜

[@Wotan123456789]

Thanks Vinicius for the upload. I had always seen the interview partioned. Nilsson was larger than life. Besides her unique talent as an artist, she was funny, humble and generous; but she always knew who she was and acted accordingly. I am not a nostalgic, but I don't think that there is a dramatic soprano around that could even match her shadow.

[@allenjones3130]

Birgit Nilsson was certainly one of the great Wagnerian sopranos, but she also excelled in Puccini, Verdi and Mozart.

[@shicoff1398]

Yes, I saw her Sing Tosca in California and she was excellent and with so much power she didn't even need to push the voice at all.

[@andrewvincenti2664]

And to think that her first teacher made fun of her voice and said she would never achieve stardom. What a jerk.

[@kbhprinsesse]

I agree. She describes this with more details in her autobiography, it's shocking the way he treated her. Unfortunately I think back then teachers could get away with a lot more bad behaviour.

[@MrStpendouslvforjo]

I just watched this video again last night and absolutely LOVED it! Birgit was so honest and seemed delighted to be interviewed! What a VOICE she had!!

[@crazyorganist1609]

She was like Sutherland no nsense

[@cobaltcanarycherry]

Can you see those old fellows chasing a young girl down the streets of Stockholm? What a fine picture it must have made!

[@stevehinnenkamp5625]

A treasure,! She is adorable!! The excerpts presented are incredible. She was one of a kind as artist and lovely human being.

[@shicoff1398]

Agree 100%and I saw her singing in opera house .

[@gregberg5559]

What a wonderful treasure. Excerpts from this are in the wonderful documentary "Birgit Nilsson: A League of Her Own," but I did not realize that these were excerpt from a Levin interview. Delightful.

[@Medietos]

How interesting to hear about her life. And what a fine, professional , supportive, attentive interviewer. He holds himself back while stimulating her to recall, reflect, feel and speak, and is such a good speaker himself. Beautiful English.. As for Al Nilsson, it is time that we speak up about the plandemic and can get to listen to opera again.

[@parsvanborg]

Fantastic program - never seen before! Birgit Nilsson is marvellous - both during the interview and the singing parts of the program. And I liked the interviewer very much, too. Highly recommended!!❤😅😊❤

[@Gareth-g8e]

La Nilsson! The greatest of them all. How I miss her. Thank goodness we have her on film and CDS. R.I.P. dear Madame, now singing with the angels. ❤❤❤❤.xxxx.

[@divox9pqr]

Nilsson, marvelous, charming, full of humor about the world and herself. The greatest of them all for sure.

[@0reason2exist]

Her English sounds so classy.

[@crazyorganist1609]

Love Nilsson. Her personality like Joan Sutherland was down to esrth in it mskes you love her. Her vocal abilities mske me shidder with fear or feel elation. She was simply La Nilsson

[@luizgonzagasouza4472]

Muito obrigado Professor Vinicius Soaris. Começa com uma ária que amo de paixão Deus lhe abençoe amigo. Faça mais. É relevante para mim e para outros.

[@lakehayden]

Thanks for uploading!! These levin interviews are hard to find

[@highbaritone]

First time I knew she had done one of these. Great.

[@cadoh8143]

Obrigado Vinicius. Não conhecia este com La Nilsson.

[@josephcollins6033]

THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!